How to Make Your Unique Ability the Door to Greatness

Kanu Nwankwo

Every great player has a unique role he plays, and how well he plays that role becomes his Unique Sales Proposition (USP).

Several clubs, markets and scouts are searching for players with great skills, stamina and abilities to help actualise their winning dreams and increase their stock rates in the market. Are you so qualified?

For this reason; players can be categorised as:

     i.        Defenders (including the goalkeepers)

    ii.        Midfielders and

   iii.        Attackers

For the purpose of our discussion, I will use Defenders and Attackers as experts have made me to understand that midfielders can either be attacking or defensive midfielders.

Defenders are therefore the ones that wade-off opponents, prevent their deadly strikers from penetrating or scoring goals whilst Attackers on the other hands are the ones saddled with the responsibilities of creating scoring chances, converting chances to dazzling goals, making offensive and scary charges on the opponents and ensuring that the team wins by scoring and scoring more goals.

In 1996 Summer Olympic, Daniel Amokachie was a supporting striker while Kanu Nwakwo was the top-striker. Those two guys and the likes of Austin Jay-jay Okocha who was a generalissimo of the midfield tormented Nigerian opponents so much so that they can only be rewarded with gold medals.

The problem with most intending players these days is that they are yet to discover their USP and without that, no player can thrill and thrive in his chosen field of endeavours or roles.

Lessons:

1.     Every great and skilLful player create their own Unique Sales Propositions

2.    Players who man their flanks, displaying their USPs easily get into the minds of the people. They attract attention like magnets whether they operate in a corner as a goal-keeper who never leaves his goalpost or runs around the whole field like a libero.

3.    Every great player knows he must develop the ability to network or connect with other players (or people of like minds) so that their concerted efforts can yield positive results.

Lionel Messi

4.    Every player in a team – whether he is a defender or an attacker, is interested in only one thing – winning – and so he doesn’t really care about who nets in the goal, that’s why all of them celebrate when goals are scored.

This means; as a player (trader, spouse, sibling, business associate, employer, employee, your only goal should be ‘Winning’– and it is immaterial who close the deal among your network team – the goal should be profit for all.

Apart from the name you answer, you should really understand yourself (i.e. your personality). Every skilful player understands what to do with the ball before it gets to him or else, he will falter and flout the chance.

Before the big contracts come, what can you do or what will you do with the benefits generated from the little ones being handled presently.

To be a great player:

a)    You should be able to answer the following:

                     I.        Who are you?

This will enable you determine your team mates and where you can adequately function.

                   II.        What do you do conveniently and comfortably even when you don’t feel like doing it?

This particular question will help you discover you ‘Unique Sales Proposition’

b)   Put yourself in the minds of the people by creating visibility. This is where most people miss it; it is one thing to make sales and it is another thing to market. Market your skills. Use your abilities for the progress and profiting of your group.

How can the people know or identify your skills?

Call (or Business) cards, phone calls, SMS, customised email accounts, bar-line signature, social network platforms, posters, banners and sourvenirs.

Display your work before the people. Use your work/business/service as your display pictures (dp) and if possible, put your picture on your call cards. Etc

Daniel Amokachi

c)    Every skilful player knows how to make through and thorough passes.

For example, if you are a photographer, you can create a team involving caterers, florists, bridal consultants, undertakers, schools, churches, reception halls and the likes.

And if your challenges are in the home-front, you can create a team with other married couples – elderly, elites, and the not so enlightened couples in your community so that all of you can have some great talks to share from your booty of experiences.  

d)   What business can you introduce to the members of your team?

Send businesses their ways and expect them to reciprocate.

culled from the book, BEYOND SOCCER.